Versopolis poetry project kicks off in Ljubljana

Slovenia: The European Commission's Creative Europe programme is supporting the launch of the Versopolis project, a poetry platform aiming to create new opportunities for emerging European poets.The aim of Versopolis is to change the fact that young poets are often unknown outside of the language that they write in. It is intended to give poets the chance to reach international audiences.

Versopolis kick off

On 8-9 December 2014, project co-ordinator Beletrina Academic Press, who also organises the Days of Poetry and Wine Festival, hosted a two‐day launch meeting in Ljubljana, Slovenia, with its ten project members from all over Europe. In its first year the Versopolis project will promote 55 authors and their poetry, united under its motto 'where poetry lives', along with 11 festivals, which will act as literature promoters and publishers in the European literary space.

At the meeting, the members of the platform determined the final details before Versopolis sees the launch of its website in March 2015 and the first festival is presented to the public. The presentation and meeting were wrapped up with a literary evening for all attendees.

Beletrina said it wants to see "not only canonised and widely recognisable poets reach the consciousness of European literature lovers", but the voices of younger generations "also gain their place". It added that the selected poets "will receive attention through performances and translations of their works on a digital platform".

The Versopolis poetry platform members are:

Ars Poetica, Slovakia,
Genoa International Poetry Festival, Genova, Italy,
Umeås Internationella Litteraturfestival, Umeå, Sveden,
Instytut Kultury Miejskiej (City Culture Institute), Gdańsk, Poland,
Ledbury Poetry Festival, Ledbury, Great Britain,
Struški večeri na poezijata (The Struga Poetry Evenings), Struga, Macedonia,
Poetinis Druskininkų ruduo (Druskininkai Poetic Fall), Druskininkai, Vilnius, Latvia,
Felix Poetry Festival, Antwerpen, Belgium,
Goranovo Prolječe (Goranś Spring), Zagreb, Croatia,
Literature & Wine Festival, Wachau, Austria,
Dnevi poezije in vina (Days of Poetry and Wine), Ljubljana, Slovenia.